Saturday Night Genealogy Fun - Your Disappeared Ancestors

 Calling all Genea-Musings Fans: 

 It's Saturday Night again - 

Time for some more Genealogy Fun!!

Your mission, should you decide to accept it (cue the Mission Impossible! music) is to:

1)  Sometimes an ancestor or relative just disappears out of the records and we cannot find another record after a certain date. 

2)  Tell us about one or more of your relatives or ancestors that have disappeared and not been found since a certain date.  Do you have any idea of what might have happened to them?

3)  Share information about your disappearing relative or ancestor in a blog post of your own, in a comment to this blog post, or in a Facebook comment.

Here's mine:

On the Ancestor chart, my 3rd great-grandfather #60 Abraham Kemp (1795-after 1881) is in the 1881 Canada Census residing in Norfolk County, Ontario at age 85. I have found no death record, land record, probate record, burial record or newspaper record for him in any of the online databases.  He is not in the 1891 Canada Census. I figure that he died sometime in the 1880s, probably in Norfolk County, Ontario, but I don't know for sure. 

On the Relative front, I don't know the death date or death place for my great-granduncle, William A. Auble, born 1845, brother of my great-grandfather Charles Auble (1849-1916).  He was last noted in the 1880 United States Census in Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana with his wife Mary (Thompson) Auble.  Mary is in Danville, Illinois in the 1900 census listed as divorced, and marries again in 1901 in Danville.  William may have died between 1881 and before 1900 in Indiana or Illinois, but I have not found a death record, burial record, newspaper record or probatre record for him.

There are many more in both the Relative and Ancestor fronts in the families of the 4th great-grandparents and earlier.  

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The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/10/saturday-night-genealogy-fun-your.html

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post.  Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below.  Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com. Note that all comments are moderated, and may not appear immediately.

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ABC Biography of #59 Sarah (Cutter) Knapp (1785-1878) of New Jersey

 Using the ABC method described in Using Artificial Intelligence In the Ancestor Biography Creation (ABC) Process, here is another ancestor biography using the Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4 AI tool.

1) I wrote genealogical sketches for almost every known ancestor back through 9 generations in blog posts based on 38 years of genealogical research in my 52 Ancestors/Relatives Biographies series. The genealogical sketch for my 3rd great-grandmother, Sarah (Cutter) Knapp (1785-1878), #59 on my Ahnentafel List, including family members, record abstracts and sources, is 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - Week 52: #59, Sarah (Cutter) Knapp (1785-1878).

(AI ChatGPT5 image of Knapp family in 1831)

2) For the Claude AI biography, I attached the PDF of the genealogical sketch for the specific ancestor using the plus (+) icon, and then prompted the AI tool with:  "You are an expert genealogist. Please create a biography based on information in the attached file for Sarah (Cutter) Knapp (1785-1878). Include parents, siblings, spouses and children (with birth and death dates and places). Summarize life events, and add historical facts as appropriate, but do not add or embellish any extra genealogical details. Use section headings. Expand the information in each section to add more details. The tone should be engaging and suitable for family members."

3)  The Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4 biography is:

 Sarah (Cutter) Knapp (1785-1878): 

A Life Spanning Nearly a Century

Early Life and Family Origins

Sarah Cutter was born on November 6, 1785, in Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey, during the early years of the newly formed United States of America. Born just two years after the Treaty of Paris ended the Revolutionary War, Sarah entered a world where the young nation was still finding its footing and establishing its identity.

She was the daughter of Stephen Cutter (1745-1823) and Tabitha Randolph (1752-1841), who had married in 1769. Stephen and Tabitha created a large and bustling household, with Sarah being the eighth of eleven children. Her siblings were a diverse group spanning nearly a quarter-century: Phebe Cutter (1769-1839), Nancy Cutter (1771-1812), Stephen Cutter (1773-????), Mary Cutter (1775-????), Richard Cutter (1779-1820), William Whitmore Cutter (1781-1862), Hannah Cutter (1784-????), Samuel Cutter (1787-1871), Mary Cutter (1790-1870), and Thomas Cutter (1793-1817).

Growing up in such a large family would have meant sharing responsibilities, learning cooperation, and developing the strong family bonds that would characterize Sarah's entire life. The Cutter family was well-established in New England genealogical records, suggesting they were part of the colonial fabric of early America.

Marriage and New Beginnings

Around 1804, in her hometown of Woodbridge, Sarah married William Knapp, beginning a partnership that would span over half a century. William, born in 1775 in Dutchess County, New York, was about ten years Sarah's senior. While his parentage remains unknown to family historians, William proved to be a devoted husband and father.

Their marriage coincided with the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition, as America was rapidly expanding westward. However, Sarah and William chose to build their life closer to home, establishing roots in New Jersey that would anchor their growing family for decades to come.

A Mother's Legacy: Eleven Children

Sarah and William were blessed with eleven children, born over a span of nearly three decades. Their family grew steadily, reflecting the large families that were common in early 19th-century America:

• Joseph C. Knapp (born about 1805) was their firstborn, born in Woodbridge. He later married Elizabeth (surname unknown) around 1830, though they had no known children.
• Samuel C. Knapp (born about 1806) married Delia A. Smith on October 5, 1829, in Sussex, New Jersey. Tragically, Samuel died before March 5, 1852, in Newark, Essex, New Jersey, but not before he and Delia had been blessed with nine children, ensuring the Knapp name would continue.
• Cyrus C. Knapp was born on December 19, 1809, in Woodbridge. He married Catherine Terheun on November 17, 1836, in Hackensack, Bergen, New Jersey. Cyrus and Catherine had seven children before his death on February 13, 1872, in Hackensack.
• Catharine Knapp (born about 1810) chose a different path, remaining unmarried throughout her long life. She lived to be 79, passing away in July 1889 in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana, far from her New Jersey birthplace.
• Benjamin Knapp (born about 1811) married Susan A. Stewart on August 31, 1833, in Sussex, New Jersey. They had five children, but Benjamin's life was cut short when he died before 1857, probably in Newark, Essex, New Jersey.
• Charles C. Knapp (born about 1813) married Susan B. Ludlow on January 20, 1841, in Morris, New Jersey. They had two children, and Charles eventually made his way to Indiana, where he died before December 25, 1888, in Terre Haute.
• Hannah Maria Knapp was born on January 13, 1816, and married David Lum Foster on October 6, 1839, in Newton, Sussex, New Jersey. Hannah and David had four children, and she lived a long life, dying on November 22, 1903, in Newton, Sussex, New Jersey.
• Sarah G. Knapp was born in January 1818 and married David Auble in 1844 in Newton, Sussex, New Jersey. They had six children together. Sarah G. eventually moved west to Terre Haute, Indiana and then to Illinois, where she died on September 1, 1904, in Bushnell, McDonough, Illinois.
• William Knapp was born on May 9, 1823, in Woodbridge and married Elizabeth C. Brokaw on August 27, 1846, in New York, New York. They had four children, but William's life was tragically cut short when he died on October 17, 1860, in New York at the young age of 37.
• Manning M. Knapp was born on June 7, 1825, in Newton, Sussex, New Jersey, and would become particularly important in Sarah's later years. He married Anna Maria Mattison on April 1, 1850, in Hackensack, Bergen, New Jersey. They had two children, and Manning became a successful lawyer and judge. He died on January 26, 1892, in Hackensack.
• Elsie Morford Knapp, the youngest, was born on April 3, 1831, in Newton, Sussex, New Jersey. She married John D. Wilson on February 8, 1862, in Lafayette, Sussex, New Jersey, and they had one child. Elsie died on September 7, 1903, in Terre Haute, Vigo, Indiana.

Family Transitions and Loss

Sarah's life was marked by both joy and sorrow, as was typical for women of her era who often outlived spouses and children. Her father, Stephen Cutter, died on August 13, 1823, at age 78 in Woodbridge. In his will, he thoughtfully bequeathed $100 to his daughter "Sally Knapp," to be given to her after his wife Tabitha's death—a gesture that shows the continuing bonds between Sarah and her birth family.

Around 1825, the Knapp family made a significant move to Newton in Sussex County, New Jersey, where William established a shoemaking shop. This relocation represented new opportunities and perhaps reflected the economic growth occurring throughout New Jersey during this period. William's trade as a shoemaker would have been essential in a growing community, as families needed sturdy, well-made footwear for both daily life and the muddy roads of rural New Jersey.

Sarah's mother, Tabitha (Randolph) Cutter, lived to the remarkable age of 89, dying on November 26, 1841, in Woodbridge. This meant Sarah had her mother's presence and guidance well into her own middle age—a blessing not all women of that era enjoyed.

Life as a Widow

William Knapp died on June 16, 1856, in Newton, Sussex County, New Jersey, leaving Sarah a widow at age 70. He was buried in Old Newton Burial Ground, where Sarah would eventually join him. The 1850 census provides a snapshot of their household just before William's death, showing the family living comfortably in Newton township with William listed as a 75-year-old shoemaker owning $800 in real property—a substantial sum for the time. The household also included their unmarried daughter Catherine, age 40, and youngest daughter Elsey, age 19.

Following William's death, Sarah demonstrated the resilience that characterized women of her generation. Rather than struggle alone, she moved in with her son Manning M. Knapp, who had become a successful lawyer in the Hackensack, New Jersey area. The 1860 census shows Sarah, then 78 and listed as "lady," living comfortably with Manning's family in New Barbadoes township, Bergen County, New Jersey.

Manning had clearly prospered in his legal career, owning $7,000 in real property and $4,000 in personal property—making him quite wealthy for the time. The household also included Manning's wife Anna M., their young daughter Anna M. (age 7), a domestic servant from Ireland named Margaret M. Mann, and a young boy named Joseph Madison. This arrangement allowed Sarah to live her final years surrounded by family, contributing to the household while being cared for in her old age.

Final Years and Legacy

Sarah (Cutter) Knapp lived an extraordinarily long life, dying on March 6, 1878, at the impressive age of 92—just a few months past her 92nd birthday. She died in Newton, Sussex County, New Jersey, perhaps having returned to the town where she had spent many happy years with William. Her longevity was remarkable for the era; she had witnessed the entire development of the United States from its infancy through Reconstruction following the Civil War.

She was buried next to her beloved husband William in Old Newton Burial Ground, where their gravestone stands as a testament to their long union. The inscription reads simply but meaningfully: "SARAH CUTTER wife of WILLIAM KNAPP Born Nov. 6, 1787 Died Mar. 6, 1878."

(Note: There appears to be a discrepancy in the birth year on the gravestone, which shows 1787, while other records indicate 1785. Such variations were not uncommon in an era when record-keeping was less standardized.)

Historical Context of Sarah's Lifetime

Sarah's nearly 93 years spanned one of the most transformative periods in American history. Born just after the Revolutionary War, she lived through the presidencies of every president from George Washington through Rutherford B. Hayes. She witnessed the War of 1812, the expansion westward, the Industrial Revolution's arrival in America, the Civil War, and the beginning of Reconstruction.

During her lifetime, New Jersey evolved from a largely agricultural state to one with growing industrial centers. The Morris Canal, completed in 1831, would have brought increased commerce through the areas where Sarah lived, connecting the agricultural regions of northwestern New Jersey with growing markets in New York City.

Sarah's large family—eleven children who survived to adulthood and married—was typical of the era when child mortality was high and large families provided both labor and social security. The fact that her children spread from New Jersey to Indiana and Illinois reflects the westward migration patterns of 19th-century America.

A Life Well-Lived

Sarah (Cutter) Knapp's life story reflects the experiences of countless American women who lived through the nation's formative years. She successfully raised a large family, supported her husband's trade, adapted to widowhood, and maintained close family relationships throughout her long life. Her legacy lived on through her numerous children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, many of whom continued the family's tradition of contributing to their communities across the expanding American frontier.

The fact that she spent her final years living with her successful son Manning suggests that she had raised her children with values that emphasized family loyalty and care for aging parents. In an era before social safety nets, such family bonds were essential for survival and dignity in old age.

Sarah's story, preserved in census records, family histories, and cemetery inscriptions, provides a window into the daily lives of ordinary Americans who helped build the growing nation through their quiet dedication to family, community, and perseverance in the face of life's inevitable challenges.

4) A poem and song lyrics to commemorate and celebrate the life of William Knapp can be found in "Sarah's Century" -- Family History Poem, Song, Audio Overview and Video Overview Created by Artificial Intelligence. The song created from the song lyrics can be played in that blog post, and on Suno.com, and below:

5) An Audio Overview (essentially a podcast created by the Google NotebookLM AI tool) discussing the life of Sarah (Cutter) Knapp can be heard here. 

6)  The Video Overview discussing Sarah (Cutter) Knapp's life created by Google NotebookLM is: 

7)  A life memoir for Sarah (Cutter) Knapp was posted in Sarah (Cutter) Knapp's Life Memories - An AI-Assisted Memoir.

8)  I edited the Claude biography text to correct minor inconsistencies and errors. Every large language model (LLM) AI tool writes descriptive text much better than I can write. I was an aerospace engineer in my former life, and my research reports and genealogical sketches reflect "just the facts gleaned from my research." The AI tools are very perceptive, insightful and create readable text in seconds, including local and national historical events and social history detail when requested.

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Links to my blog posts about using Artificial Intelligence are on my Randy's AI and Genealogy page. Links to AI information and articles about Artificial Intelligence in Genealogy by other genealogists are on my AI and Genealogy Compendium page.

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/10/abc-biography-of-59-sarah-cutter-knapp.html

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com. Please note that all comments are moderated, and may not appear immediately.

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Added and Updated FamilySearch Record Collections - Week of 27 September to 3 October 2025

Each week, genealogy record collections are added, removed, and/or updated on FamilySearch and listed on the Historical Record Collection list at https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list. In addition, I try to keep track of the number of Full-Text Search collections (indexed, searchable) and the Images collections (browsable but not searchable).

1)  As of 3 October 2025, there are 3,407 historical record collections on FamilySearch (a decrease of 1 from last week) on the Signed In screen (and 3,407 on the Signed Out screen).] 

 The added, deleted, and updated collections this week from FamilySearch (from a list supplied by Marshall Clow):

--- Collections Deleted ---

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Census, 1984 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3288450); 27,017,713 indexed records with 5,444,777 record images, DELETED
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kisantu Diocese, Catholic Church Records, 1894-2016 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000138); 92,010 indexed records with 24,884 record images, DELETED
Dominican Republic, Naturalization Records, 1915-2000 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000146); 11,453 indexed records with 15,813 record images, DELETED
Liberia, Census, 2008 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2527274); 3,697,360 indexed records with 745,896 record images, DELETED

--- Collections Added ---

Italy, Napoli, Calvizzano, Civil Registration (Comune), 1809-1929 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2046907); 3,189 indexed records with 1,050 record images, ADDED 26-Sep-2025
Italy, Napoli, Qualiano, Civil Registration (Comune), 1836-1909 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2046904); 1,554 indexed records with 412 record images, ADDED 26-Sep-2025
Philippines, Western Visayas, Church Records, 1712-2006 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000338); 20,382 indexed records with 12,493 record images, ADDED 26-Sep-2025

--- Collections Updated ---

Alaska, Vital Records, 1816-2005 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2216300); 246,905 indexed records with 72,238 record images (was 110,943 records with 72,238 images), UPDATED 26-Sep-2025
Armenia, Church Books, 1838-1929 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1943754); Browse 23,781 Images only, no index (was 0 records with 23,781 images), UPDATED 29-Sep-2025
Bolivia, Catholic Church Records, 1566-2020 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1922463); 9,841,267 indexed records with 1,649,601 record images (was 9,847,866 records with 1,649,601 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Miscellaneous Records, 1748-1998 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1985805); Browse 2,919,774 Images only, no index (was 0 records with 2,919,774 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
Colombia, Catholic Church Records, 1576-2019 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1726975); 27,327,772 indexed records with 12,659,776 record images (was 27,338,270 records with 12,659,776 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025

Democratic Republic of the Congo, National Identity Cards, 1884-2019 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000100); 626,000 indexed records with 9,984,982 record images (was 6,494,001 records with 9,984,982 images), UPDATED 02-Oct-2025
Denmark, Baptisms, 1618-1923 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1778463); Index only (5,168,807 records), no images (was 5,168,943 records with 0 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
Denmark, Marriages, 1635-1916 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1520592); Index only (1,293,766 records), no images (was 1,293,772 records with 0 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
Dominican Republic, Baptisms, 1726-1924 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1520622); Index only (144,223 records), no images (was 144,561 records with 0 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
Dominican Republic, Catholic Church Records, 1590-2022 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1918910); 1,135,009 indexed records with 238,265 record images (was 2,300,813 records with 238,265 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025

Dominican Republic, Civil Registration, 1744-2019 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1619814); 4,125,451 indexed records with 3,416,801 record images (was 8,075,846 records with 3,416,801 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
Dominican Republic, Immigration Records, 1925-1999 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000147); 66,387 indexed records with 205,116 record images (was 122,187 records with 205,307 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
Dominican Republic, Marriages, 1743-1929 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1520625); Index only (50,462 records), no images (was 54,683 records with 0 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
Dominican Republic, Miscellaneous Records, 1921-1980 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2069829); 175,581 indexed records with 760,173 record images (was 460,394 records with 760,173 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
England Marriages, 1538–1973 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1473015); Index only (10,681,908 records), no images (was 10,682,360 records with 0 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025

England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1473014); Index only (40,735,851 records), no images (was 40,739,038 records with 0 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
England, Norfolk, Parish Registers (County Record Office), 1510-1997 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1416598); 667,001 indexed records with 234,405 record images (was 667,001 records with 234,405 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
Germany, Lutheran Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials, 1500-1971 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3015626); 76,109,051 indexed records with 13,806,705 record images (was 76,112,679 records with 13,806,705 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
Germany, Saxony, Church Book Indexes, 1500-1900 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2399108); 278,753 indexed records with 154,087 record images (was 278,748 records with 136,596 images), UPDATED 26-Sep-2025
Ghana, Accra, Marriages, 1863-2003 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1496208); 13,402 indexed records with 272,668 record images (was 13,402 records with 272,668 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025

Ghana, Census, 1984 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1615258); 761,161 indexed records with 904,488 record images (was 1,438,969 records with 904,488 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
Ghana, Census, 2010 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000267); 30,720 indexed records with 713,103 record images (was 2,894,781 records with 713,103 images), UPDATED 02-Oct-2025
Haiti, Civil Registration, 1794-2018 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1482819); 21,036,210 indexed records with 31,609 record images (was 21,033,735 records with 31,609 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
Hawaii, Passport Records, 1874-1898 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3021682); 6,601 indexed records with 5,630 record images (was 6,593 records with 5,630 images), UPDATED 26-Sep-2025
Idaho, Southeast Counties Obituaries, 1864-2007 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1876879); 3,561,447 indexed records with 9,165 record images (was 3,495,292 records with 9,165 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025

India, Catholic Church Records, 1751-2014 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4491581); 14,102,074 indexed records with 617,174 record images (was 14,103,632 records with 617,174 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
India, Gujarat Diocese Protestant Church Records, 1854-2012 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2075198); Browse 39,573 Images only, no index (was 0 records with 39,573 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
India, Madras Diocese Protestant Church Records, 1743-1990 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2174941); 340,996 indexed records with 39,904 record images (was 343,215 records with 39,904 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
Italy, Bari, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1908 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1968511); 4,189,078 indexed records with 2,870,392 record images (was 4,186,506 records with 2,870,392 images), UPDATED 02-Oct-2025
Italy, Brindisi, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1955 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2328379); 1,125,727 indexed records with 789,264 record images (was 1,125,879 records with 787,981 images), UPDATED 29-Sep-2025

Italy, Campobasso, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1918 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1968528); 1,021,322 indexed records with 2,171,605 record images (was 1,021,322 records with 2,171,605 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
Italy, Catanzaro, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1865 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1937913); 777,906 indexed records with 436,534 record images (was 379,292 records with 436,534 images), UPDATED 02-Oct-2025
Italy, Cuneo, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1795-1915 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1392991); 114,792 indexed records with 267,978 record images (was 114,792 records with 267,978 images), UPDATED 02-Oct-2025
Italy, Enna, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1866-1944 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2068343); 981,601 indexed records with 837,356 record images (was 845,749 records with 837,356 images), UPDATED 02-Oct-2025
Italy, Oristano, Oristano, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1866-1941 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1947719); 455,397 indexed records with 342,194 record images (was 454,581 records with 342,194 images), UPDATED 27-Sep-2025

Italy, Parma, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1626-1921 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3743481); 13,842 indexed records with 1,487,337 record images (was 6,366 records with 705,095 images), UPDATED 02-Oct-2025
Italy, Reggio Calabria, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1784-1943 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2068331); 2,056,716 indexed records with 2,245,171 record images (was 934,078 records with 2,245,171 images), UPDATED 02-Oct-2025
Italy, Siracusa, Siracusa, Civil Registration (Tribunale), 1900-1942 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2110810); 317,702 indexed records with 275,840 record images (was 317,702 records with 275,840 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
Italy, Siracusa, Sortino, Parrocchia di San Giovanni Apostolo ed Evangelista, Catholic Church Records, 1562-1937 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1491141); Browse 24,118 Images only, no index (was 0 records with 24,118 images), UPDATED 02-Oct-2025
Italy, Teramo, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1809-1936 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3006903); 1,131,865 indexed records with 826,353 record images (was 162,822 records with 105,631 images), UPDATED 02-Oct-2025

Italy, Verona, Civil Registration (State Archive), 1630-1946 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2016225); 201,581 indexed records with 2,976,910 record images (was 0 records with 2,976,910 images), UPDATED 02-Oct-2025
Kentucky, Jefferson County, Louisville Children's Home Records, 1866-1938 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3499261); 14,594 indexed records with 8,631 record images (was 14,574 records with 8,630 images), UPDATED 26-Sep-2025
Liberia, Vital Records, 1912-2018 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2100287); 111,796 indexed records with 24,406 record images (was 268,603 records with 24,406 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
Louisiana, Orleans and St. Tammany, Voter Registration Records, 1867-1949 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3326775); 3,127,392 indexed records with 1,203,825 record images (was 3,127,368 records with 1,234,729 images), UPDATED 26-Sep-2025
Mexico, Querétaro, Catholic Church Records, 1590-1970 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1881200); 2,531,604 indexed records with 1,380,077 record images (was 2,531,604 records with 1,380,077 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025

Mississippi, Confederate Records, 1889-1942 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1979942); Browse 34,022 Images only, no index (was 0 records with 34,022 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
Mississippi, Confederate Veterans and Widows Pension Applications, 1900-1974 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1936413); Browse 117,637 Images only, no index (was 0 records with 117,637 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
Namibia, Dutch Reformed Church Records, 1904-2010 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2365261); 137,391 indexed records with 17,342 record images (was 142,513 records with 17,342 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
Ohio, Licking County, Hartford Township Records, 1881-1962 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2068324); 929 indexed records with 989 record images (was 927 records with 989 images), UPDATED 26-Sep-2025
Palestine, Ottoman Census and Population Registers, 1876-1917 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4496121); 837,588 indexed records with 48,402 record images (was 850,710 records with 48,402 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025

Panama, Baptisms, 1750-1938 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1520637); Index only (163,849 records), no images (was 210,599 records with 0 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
Panama, Catholic Church Records, 1707-1982 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1913397); 676,441 indexed records with 240,799 record images (was 1,030,258 records with 240,799 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
Panama, Deaths, 1840-1930 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1520642); Index only (20,903 records), no images (was 21,442 records with 0 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
Panama, Marriages, 1800-1950 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1520641); Index only (21,216 records), no images (was 28,210 records with 0 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
Pennsylvania, Middle District Court, Naturalization Records, 1901-1992 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000058); 252,627 indexed records with 218,307 record images (was 252,555 records with 218,265 images), UPDATED 02-Oct-2025

Philippines Civil Registration (National), 1945-1996 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1852584); 5,151,681 indexed records with 20,274,621 record images (was 5,127,067 records with 20,274,621 images), UPDATED 28-Sep-2025
Portugal Baptisms, 1570-1910 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1520601); Index only (304,378 records), no images (was 305,077 records with 0 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
Portugal Marriages, 1670-1910 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1520605); Index only (45,182 records), no images (was 45,297 records with 0 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
Prisoners of War, 1715-1947 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4459223); 2,434,874 indexed records with 283,791 record images (was 2,510,936 records with 283,791 images), UPDATED 02-Oct-2025
South Africa, Cape Province, Civil Records, 1840-1972 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1779109); 2,786,793 indexed records with 2,216,270 record images (was 3,125,669 records with 2,216,270 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025

South Africa, Cape, Cemetery Records, 1872-2011 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2790463); 757,900 indexed records with 41,889 record images (was 817,273 records with 41,889 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
South Africa, Cape, Probate Records of the Master of the High Court, 1822-1990 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2517051); 2,014,794 indexed records with 1,167,010 record images (was 2,752,260 records with 1,167,010 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
South Africa, Cape, Western Cape Archives Records, 1792-1992 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1935348); 144,566 indexed records with 1,016,009 record images (was 148,919 records with 1,016,009 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
South Africa, Church of the Province of South Africa, Parish Registers, 1801-2004 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1468076); 1,236,063 indexed records with 355,318 record images (was 2,214,800 records with 355,318 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
South Africa, Civil Death Registration, 1953-1967 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3732506); 706,619 indexed records with 1,226,793 record images (was 1,221,606 records with 1,226,791 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025

South Africa, Civil Marriage Records, 1801-1974 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2821281); 2,557,010 indexed records with 2,692,668 record images (was 2,699,607 records with 2,692,995 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Records (Stellenbosch Archive), 1690-2011 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1392488); 42,066 indexed records with 496,315 record images (was 42,079 records with 496,315 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Registers (Cape Town Archives), 1660-1994 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1478678); 3,034,936 indexed records with 45,728 record images (was 6,088,994 records with 45,728 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
South Africa, Eastern Cape, Estate Files, 1962-2004 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2037006); Browse 425,696 Images only, no index (was 0 records with 425,696 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
South Africa, Free State Dutch Reformed Church Records, 1848-1956 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1910846); 352,351 indexed records with 102,193 record images (was 347,435 records with 102,193 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025

South Africa, Gauteng, Johannesburg, Cemetery Records, 1840-2019 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4453927); 2,272,299 indexed records with 288,920 record images (was 2,272,730 records with 297,425 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
South Africa, KwaZulu Natal, Vital Records, 1868-1976 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3511741); 609,370 indexed records with 902,019 record images (was 642,125 records with 902,019 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
South Africa, Methodist Parish Registers, 1822-1996 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1463648); 46,270 indexed records with 18,726 record images (was 95,223 records with 18,726 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
South Africa, Netherdutch Reformed Church Registers (Pretoria Archive), 1838-1991 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2155416); 344,473 indexed records with 140,942 record images (was 1,630,711 records with 140,942 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
South Africa, Orange Free State, Estate Files, 1951-2006 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1407787); Browse 3,895,196 Images only, no index (was 90,610 records with 3,895,196 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025

South Africa, Orange Free State, Probate Records from the Master of the Supreme Court, 1832-1990 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3040532); 523,894 indexed records with 82,306 record images (was 639,973 records with 82,306 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
South Africa, Pietermaritzburg, Estate Files 1846-1950 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2573604); 343,703 indexed records with 316,664 record images (was 442,926 records with 316,664 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
South Africa, Reformed Church Records, 1856-1988 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1918294); 19,022 indexed records with 40,337 record images (was 17,792 records with 40,337 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
South Africa, Transvaal, Civil Death, 1869-1954 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2998108); 941,113 indexed records with 1,081,693 record images (was 1,084,531 records with 1,081,611 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
South Africa, Transvaal, Estate Files, 1950-1993 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2144007); Browse 191,580 Images only, no index (was 0 records with 191,580 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025

South Africa, Transvaal, Probate Records from the Master of the Supreme Court, 1869-1961  (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2520237); 1,821,263 indexed records with 1,516,203 record images (was 2,132,283 records with 1,516,203 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025

South Africa, Western Cape, Deceased Estate Files, 1951-2011 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4319131); 4,476 indexed records with 348,416 record images (was 988,274 records with 348,416 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
South Africa, Western Cape, Estate Files, 1974 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2156332); Browse 73,456 Images only, no index (was 0 records with 73,456 images), UPDATED 30-Sep-2025
South Carolina, County Marriage Licenses, 1911-1953 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3161369); 738,264 indexed records with 663,260 record images (was 738,103 records with 663,260 images), UPDATED 26-Sep-2025
United States, Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1800-c. 1955 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2074276); 7,213,160 indexed records with 942,374 record images (was 7,213,120 records with 942,374 images), UPDATED 26-Sep-2025

United States, Census, 1930 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1810731); 125,136,420 indexed records with 2,957,015 record images (was 125,180,009 records with 2,957,015 images), UPDATED 01-Oct-2025
United States, Passport Applications from the Philippines, Filed at U.S. Territories and Possessions, 1907-1925 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000417); 19,640 indexed records with 19,568 record images (was 8,835 records with 8,812 images), UPDATED 26-Sep-2025

--- Collections with new images ---

Argentina, Buenos Aires, Civil Registration, 1861-2018 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000041); 1 indexed records with 111,664 record images (was 1 records with 111,657 images), last updated 07-Jun-2024
Argentina, Military Records, 1911-1936 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000280); 1 indexed records with 2,925,606 record images (was 1 records with 2,925,604 images), last updated 31-Oct-2024
BillionGraves Index (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2026973); 31,122,746 indexed records with 33,339,327 record images (was 31,122,746 records with 31,094,609 images), last updated 06-Aug-2024
Brazil, Alagoas, Civil Registration, 1876-2023 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4469403); 1 indexed records with 453,980 record images (was 1 records with 453,978 images), last updated 07-Jun-2024
Brazil, Maranhão, Civil Registration, 1827-2022 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4469402); 1 indexed records with 905,459 record images (was 1 records with 905,456 images), last updated 07-Jun-2024

France, Loire-Atlantique, Civil Registration, 1792-1960 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3288440); 4 indexed records with 2,783,499 record images (was 4 records with 6,098 images), last updated 18-Jan-2024
Italy, Diocesi di Caltanissetta, Catholic Church Records, 1539-1929 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000377); 1 indexed records with 200 record images (was 1 records with 199 images), last updated 05-Dec-2024
Russia, Tobolsk, Church Books, 1722-1930 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4496122); 4,747,358 indexed records with 1,240,436 record images (was 4,747,358 records with 1,231,220 images), last updated 17-Sep-2025
United Kingdom, British Armed Forces and Overseas Vital Records, 1761-2005 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/4324570); 2,878,200 indexed records with 2,609,291 record images (was 2,878,200 records with 2,603,576 images), last updated 22-Sep-2021
United States, Civil War Widows and Other Dependents Pension Files, 1861-1934 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1922519); 3,711,529 indexed records with 3,678,491 record images (was 3,711,529 records with 1,236,000 images), last updated 02-May-2013

--- Collections with images removed ---

United States, Enlisted and Officer Muster Rolls and Rosters, 1916-1939 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/3346936); 99,204,702 indexed records with 3,410,634 record images (was 99,204,702 records with 3,418,383 images), last updated 15-Jun-2024

--- Collections with new records ---

--- Collections with records removed ---

Argentina, San Juan, Catholic Church Records, 1655-2013 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1974194); 203,309 indexed records with 83,087 record images (was 206,195 records with 83,087 images), last updated 23-May-2025
California, Birth Index, 1905-1995 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2001879); Index only (24,589,395 records), no images (was 24,589,396 records with 0 images), last updated 01-Mar-2012
United States, Census, 1940 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2000219); 134,774,750 indexed records with 3,841,151 record images (was 134,826,645 records with 3,841,151 images), last updated 24-Sep-2025
United States, Public Records, 1970-2009 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2199956); Index only (875,601,494 records), no images (was 875,601,500 records with 0 images), last updated 23-Aug-2025
United States, Residence Database, 1970-2024 (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/5000290); Index only (413,860,683 records), no images (was 413,860,695 records with 0 images), last updated 22-Jun-2024

===================================

My friend and SDGS colleague, Marshall, has come up with a way to determine which collections are ADDED, DELETED or UPDATED, and to alphabetize the entries in each category. Thanks to Marshall for helping me out here!

Marshall notes that there are:

• 4 removed entries
• 3  added entries 
• 87 updated entries
• 11 entries with more or fewer images 
• 5 entries with more or fewer records

The FamilySearch website says there are 3,407 total entries on the list (after signing in). Marshall's list says there are 3,407 (after signing in).  They are definitely in-sync this week.

2)  There are now 4,542 searchable image collections on FamilySearch Full-Text Search this week, a decrease of 35 from last week. It is not possible to see which collections are new.  Where did those removed collections go? 

3)  There are now 26,036 browsable image collections on FamilySearch Images this week, a decrease of 230 from last week. It is not possible to see which collections are new. Where did those removed collections go? Perhaps they went to the Full-Text Search collection list.

See previous FamilySearch-related blog posts in   https://www.geneamusings.com/search/label/FamilySearch

==========================================

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/10/added-and-updated-familysearch-record.html

Copyright (c) 2025 Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on X, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com.  Note that all comments are moderated, so they may not be posted immediately.

Subscribe to receive a free daily email from Genea-Musings using www.Blogtrottr.com.

Added and Updated Ancestry.com Record Collections - Week of 27 September to 3 October 2025

  The following genealogy record collections were added to the Ancestry.com Card Catalog page by Date Updated during the period from 27 September to 3 October 2025:

The ADDED and Updated collections include:

• New Mexico, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-current; 134,006,063 indexed records without record images; Updated 10/1/2025. This index allows you to search for your ancestor by name in New Mexico newspapers that are available on Newspapers.com™ from the 1800s to the present.
• Montana, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-current; 265,186,792 indexed records without record images; Updated 10/1/2025. This index allows you to search for your ancestor by name in Montana newspapers that are available on Newspapers.com™ from the 1800s to the present.
• Kentucky, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-current; 544,650,440 indexed records without record images; Updated 10/1/2025. This index allows you to search for your ancestor by name in Kentucky newspapers that are available on Newspapers.com™ from the 1800s to the present.
• Indiana, U.S., Newspapers.com™ Stories and Events Index, 1800's-current; 1,148,320,768 indexed records without record images; Updated 10/1/2025. This index allows you to search for your ancestor by name in Indiana newspapers that are available on Newspapers.com™ from the 1800s to the present.
• Calvados, France, Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1450-1930; 25,128,883 indexed records with record images; Updated 9/30/2025. This collection contains civil registries of births, marriages, and deaths from Calvados, France between the years 1450-1930. 
• Louisiana, U.S., State Birth Records, 1911-1923; 829,916 indexed records with record images; ADDED 9/29/2025. This collection contains records of births that occurred in Louisiana between 1911 and 1923. 
• U.S., Revolutionary War Burial Index, 1775-1875; 67,290 indexed records without record images; ADDED 9/29/2025. This collection includes burial information for American Revolutionary War veterans who died between 1775 and 1875. Information about each veteran is recorded on an index card. 
• Canada, Obituary Collection, 1898-Current; 12,144,308 indexed records without record images; Updated 9/26/2025. This database is a compilation of obituaries published in Canadian newspapers, collected from various online sources. 
• Australia and New Zealand, Obituary Index, 2004-Current; 2,503,666 indexed records without record images; Updated 9/26/2025. This collection is an index of information taken from online obituaries published in Australia and New Zealand between 2004 and the present.
• U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current; 216,951,201 indexed records without record images; Updated 9/26/2025. This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of the...
• U.S., Cemetery and Funeral Home Collection, 1847-Current; 144,396,650 indexed records without record images; Updated 9/26/2025. This collection is an index of information taken from online obituaries published by cemeteries and funeral homes in the United States between 1847 and the present.
• Providence, Rhode Island, U.S., Dexter Asylum and Almshouse Records, 1828-1956; indexed records without record images; ADDED 9/26/2025. This collection includes records pertaining to Dexter Asylum in Providence, Rhode Island, between 1828 and 1956. 

=========================================

The complete Ancestry.com Card Catalog is at https://search.ancestry.com/search/CardCatalog.aspx.  

By my count, there are 3 NEW record collections ADDED this past week, per the list above.  There are now 33,869 collections available as of 3 October, an INCREASE of 3 from last week.  

                              ==============================================

Disclosure: I pay for an All-Access subscription from Ancestry.com. In past years, Ancestry.com  provided a complimentary All Access subscription, an autosomal DNA test, material considerations for travel expenses to meetings, and hosted events and meals that I attended in Salt Lake City.

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/10/added-and-updated-ancestrycom-record.html

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com. Please note that all Comments are moderated so they may not appear immediately.

Subscribe to receive a free daily email from Genea-Musings using www.Blogtrottr.com.  

Findmypast Friday: Understand the Milestones of Their Lives

   I received this information from Findmypast today:

==================================

Understand the milestones of their lives

This week we've updated our existing collection of Middlesex Baptisms and added a brand new record set of coroners' inquests from Suffolk. These new additions span over 250 years.

Middlesex Baptisms

Do you have ancestors from Middlesex? Search this collection of baptism records to find out details such as birth year, baptism year, parents' names and residence.

Suffolk, Coroners' Inquest Records

As the final milestone in their life, your ancestor's death is an inextricable part of their story and this collection of Coroners’ Inquest Records from Suffolk will help you discover more meaningful details about the life and death of your ancestor. Could your ancestor’s death have been the result of gruelling and unsafe work they carried out or perhaps it was classed as suspicious or unexplained? This collection, which covers over 150 years of inquest records will allow you to delve deeper into the final chapter of your ancestor’s life. The collection covers inquests from 1767-1921 and can provide details such as a year of birth, where the inquest took place and inquest notes relating to your ancestor’s death.

New pages from Skibbereen to Swansea

Five new titles joined our newspaper archive this week, with 246,880 new pages for you to discover.

==================================

See all of my posts about Findmypast at https://www.geneamusings.com/search/label/FindMyPast

Disclosure: I have a complimentary subscription to Findmypast, and have accepted meals and services from Findmypast, as a Findmypast Ambassador. This has not affected my objectivity relative to Findmypast and its products.

The URL for this post is:  https://www.geneamusings.com/2025/10/findmypast-friday-understand-milestones.html

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

Please comment on this post on the website by clicking the URL above and then the "Comments" link at the bottom of each post. Share it on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest using the icons below. Or contact me by email at randy.seaver@gmail.com. Note that all comments are moderated, and may not appear immediately.

Subscribe to receive a free daily email from Genea-Musings using www.Blogtrottr.com.

Frederick Walton Seaver's Life Memories - An AI-Assisted Memoir

I wrote a genealogical sketch for my paternal grandfather, Frederick Walton Seaver (1876-1942)  in My Paternal Grandfather:  Frederick Walton Seaver, Sr. (1876-1942), based on the records found that document his life, in addition to intervews with his children.

1)  Based on the genealogical sketch, I requested Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4 to create a memoir spoken by Frederick Walton Seaver talking about his life in 1940.  The prompt was:  "Please write a memoir for Frederick Walton Seaver based on the attached genealogical sketch, as he might tell to his grandchildren in August 1940."

The AI Anthropic Claude Sonnet 4 memoir (lightly edited for accuracy) is:

Fred Seaver Remembers

As told to his grandchildren, August 1940

Discussed at 90 Main Street, Leominster, Massachusetts, following the wedding of Edward Richmond Seaver and Janet Arlene Roukes

---

Well now, seeing young Edward get married yesterday -- August 10th, 1940, it was -- got me thinking. Your grandmother Bess says I've been quieter than usual, just sitting here with my pipe, looking out the window. Truth is, I've been doing a lot of remembering. At sixty-three years old, a man starts to count his blessings and take stock of the road he's traveled.

You kids are always asking about the old days, so I thought I'd set down some stories while they're still clear in my mind. Your grandmother says my memory's better for things fifty years ago than for what happened last Tuesday, and she's probably right about that.

The World I Was Born Into

I came into this world on October 9th, 1876 -- can you believe that? That's sixty-four years ago this October. President Grant was still in office, though his term was ending. The Centennial Exhibition was going on in Philadelphia that very year, celebrating one hundred years since the Declaration of Independence. 

Leominster wasn't the place you know now. Oh, it was a bustling town, sure enough, but everything was different. No automobiles, no electric lights, no telephones. When I was a boy, we lit our house with oil lamps and candles. We pumped our water by hand. In winter, the inside of the windows would frost over so thick you couldn't see out.

My father, Frank Walton Seaver—your great-grandfather—worked as a teamster at one of the comb shops. He'd drive wagons, hauling materials and finished goods. Hard work, and he came home tired every night, but he was proud of his job. My mother, Hattie, kept the house at 149 Lancaster Street where I grew up. We lived with my grandparents Edward and Sophia Hildreth, who owned that house. She was a wonderful woman, your great-great-grandmother -- lived to see me married and with seven babies of my own.

A Boy in the Comb City

Leominster was the Comb City in those days. People came from all over to work in the shops. We made combs from horn—cattle horn mostly, though sometimes we'd get exotic materials. The smell of those shops! You'd know a comb worker by the smell of his clothes.

I started working young, like all boys did. By the time I was fourteen or fifteen, I was spending time in the comb shops after school, learning the trade. Eventually, I became a comb painter. Now that was skilled work—decorating those combs with beautiful designs, painting them in colors that the ladies loved. My brother Harry did the same work. We'd come home with paint under our fingernails that Mother couldn't scrub out, no matter how hard she tried.

School ended for me around age fourteen. That was normal—only the wealthy boys went on to high school in those days. I'd learned to read, write, and cipher, and that was considered enough for a working man. Sometimes I wish I'd had more schooling, but there were bills to pay and a family to help support.

My Brief Adventure as a Soldier

Here's something most of you don't know. In September of 1899, when I was twenty-three, I did something impulsive. I enlisted in the U.S. Army out in St. Louis, Missouri. Can you imagine? Me, who'd barely left Worcester County, suddenly signing up as a Private in Company F, 43rd Regiment of U.S. Volunteers.

The country was at war -- well, not exactly a war like the Great War we went through, but we were fighting in the Philippines. Young men were enlisting left and right, full of patriotic fever. I thought maybe I'd see the world, have an adventure.

Well, I saw St. Louis, and that was about it. Six weeks later—October 25th—I was discharged. I've never told anyone exactly why, and I don't intend to start now. Let's just say that military life and Fred Seaver weren't meant for each other. I came home to Leominster with my tail between my legs, but glad to be back where I belonged.

Winning Your Grandmother's Heart

The best thing that ever happened to me was meeting Alma Bessie Richmond. Everyone called her Bessie, but to me she was always "Bess." She was from Connecticut originally, but her family had moved to Leominster. Her father Thomas came from England, and he was a woolen mill weaver and carder.

Bess was beautiful—dark hair, quick smile, and the kindest heart you ever saw. She was eighteen when we married; I was twenty-three, having just returned from my military misadventure. We got married on June 21st, 1900, right at the turn of the century. What a day that was!

The wedding was at her parents' house on Summer Street. Reverend Frank Brown performed the ceremony—full Episcopal service with the ring. Bess wore Swiss muslin trimmed with Valenciennes lace. She carried pink roses and a white prayer book. I can still see her coming into that parlor, decorated with laurel and daisies and roses. Miss Jennie Marcy played the wedding march on the piano.

About twenty-five people were there—just family and close friends. We had a reception and a wedding supper, then went straight to our new home at 149 Lancaster Street. That's right—we started out living with my parents and grandparents. That was common then, and it worked out well enough. My grandmother loved having a young bride in the house.

Building Our Family

The children started coming right away. Marion arrived first, in November 1901. Then Evelyn in 1903. We were bursting with joy, though the house on Lancaster Street was getting crowded.

In 1905, I got a promotion—made superintendent at a factory in Fitchburg. Better pay, more responsibility. We moved to Fitchburg, and that's where Stanley was born in October 1905. We were so proud—our first son! Three beautiful children, and I was moving up in the world.

Then came the darkest day of my life.

Stanley got scarlet fever in the spring of 1910. He was only four years old—four years and six months, to be exact. We did everything we could. Doctors came. We prayed. But on April 24th, 1910, our little boy died.

[Here Fred's voice breaks, and there is a long pause]

I'm sorry. Sixty-four years old, and I still can't talk about Stanley without... well. They say time heals all wounds, but losing a child -- that wound never fully heals. We buried him in Evergreen Cemetery. Your grandmother and I go there sometimes, keep the grave neat. When my time comes, I'll be buried right there beside him.

But life goes on, doesn't it? It has to. Ruth was born in 1907, Frederick Junior in 1911, Edward—who just got married—in 1913, and finally little Geraldine in 1917. Seven children altogether, though we only got to raise six of them.

The Celluloid Revolution

My career—well, I suppose you could call it that—took me through the whole transformation of Leominster's industry. When I started, we were still working with horn and natural materials. Then celluloid came along, and everything changed.

Celluloid was amazing stuff—you could mold it, color it, make it look like tortoiseshell or ivory. It revolutionized the comb industry. But it was dangerous too. Highly flammable. I saw fires in the shops that would make your hair stand on end. You had to be careful, very careful.

In 1911, I got offered the position as superintendent at the Paton Manufacturing Company right back in Leominster. We made hairpins from celluloid—millions of them. It was good money, and we moved into a big house right on the factory property at 290 Central Street.

That was a wonderful house. Big enough for all of us, with outbuildings—a barn we used as a garage once I bought my first automobile, chicken coops, rabbit hutches. There was a brook running beside the house that fed into the factory. And here's the best part—the house was heated by warm air from the factory! We never worried about being cold in winter.

The house sat right on the main road to Sterling and Worcester. Streetcars ran right down the middle of the street. The children would watch them go by and wave to the conductor. Those were happy years, watching my children grow up in that house.

The Great War

When the Great War came -- what some are now calling World War I, God forbid there should be another -- I registered for the draft in September 1918. I was forty-one years old with six children to support. They never called me up, thank the Lord. I was doing essential war work anyway, keeping the factory running.

The war changed things, though. Boys from Leominster went off and some didn't come back. We had rationing, we bought Liberty Bonds, we did our part. Your uncle Frederick was just seven years old then, Edward was five. They don't remember much of it, but I remember everything—the worry, the newspaper reports, the telegrams arriving at houses around town telling families their boys wouldn't be coming home.

Losses and Changes

The years after the war brought hard times for our family. My mother passed in November 1920. Then my father died in November 1922. And my dear grandmother Sophia, who'd been such a rock for us all, died in 1923. We settled their estates—my brother Harry and I split the inheritance. We each got $2,700 and some furniture. That was a good sum, helped us through some lean times later.

In 1927, everything changed at work. The owner of Paton Manufacturing, Barney Doyle, sold out to the DuPont Company. The Central Street factory closed. I thought I might be out of work, but DuPont kept me on at their main plant in Leominster. Made me superintendent of the toothbrush division.

We bought a house at 20 Hall Street with some of the inheritance money. It was right across from the high school—convenient for the children. We even bought a cottage on Whalom Lake, spent summers there. Those were good years in the 1920s. We'd take Sunday drives in the automobile, sometimes go out to dinner. We even made it to Cape Cod a few times on vacation.

We thought we had it made.

When Everything Fell Apart

Then came 1929, and the bottom fell out of everything.

The stock market crashed in October. I didn't have money in stocks—I wasn't wealthy enough for that—but it didn't matter. The Depression hit everyone. DuPont cut wages. Cut them again. I went from a good salary to barely scraping by.

We tried to hold onto the house on Hall Street. We really tried. But the bank foreclosed. After working my whole life, building up to superintendent, owning my own home—they took it away.

[Another long pause]

That was hard. Moving into an apartment on West Street, then here to Main Street. Going from a house with a yard to a few rooms. Some of the children were already grown and out by then, thank God, but it was still... humiliating, I suppose is the word.

I'm not ashamed of honest work, mind you. I kept my job. Kept food on the table. But I went from "superintendent" to "foreman" -- that tells you something right there.

Your grandmother—she's been a saint through all of this. Never complained, never threw it in my face that maybe I should have managed our money better. And maybe I should have. I was never good with finances. Too generous with the men and women who worked for me, too quick to help a friend who was down on his luck. But I can't regret being kind to people.

What I've Learned About Work

I've spent over forty years in the celluloid and plastics industry. Started as a comb painter, ended as a foreman at Viscoloid—that's DuPont's trade name. I retired this year at sixty-four, after all those years.

Here's what I learned: Treat the men and women who work for you fairly, and they'll give you loyalty in return. I was always well-liked by the workers—I made sure of that. I knew their families, helped them when they were in trouble, stood up for them when the bosses wanted to push too hard.

Some might say I should have been tougher, harder-nosed about business. Maybe I'd have more money now if I had been. But I can look myself in the mirror. The men and women I supervised knew I cared about them.

The work itself changed so much over the years. From horn to celluloid to the modern plastics they're making now. Leominster went from the Comb City to the Pioneer Plastics City. I was there for all of it, watching the old ways disappear and new ones take over.

Being a Father

You children and grandchildren—you're my real wealth. Seven children, and now grandchildren starting to come along. Marion has a daughter. Evelyn has three children. Ruth has one daughter. Frederick has a nice girlfriend, and now Edward's married to Janet, as of yesterday. Gerry is a schoolteacher and is the only one at home with us now.

I wasn't always the best father. Ask your parents—they'll tell you. I was too soft, couldn't discipline worth a darn. When the boys acted up, I'd get irritated at the noise and complain, but I never could bring myself to really punish them. I left that to your grandmother.

I wasn't good with money—I mentioned that already. Sometimes there wasn't as much as there should have been, because I'd helped a friend or bought a round of beer for the fellows. Your grandmother had to make do, stretch every dollar.

But I loved my children. I love them still. I tried to show them what it means to work hard, to be loyal, to care about people. I took them for drives on Sundays once we had the automobile. We had good times at the lake cottage. We made memories.

And when Stanley died -- God, when Stanley died -- I learned what really matters in this life. Not money, not position, not what the neighbors think. Just the people you love, and the time you have with them.

Watching the World Change

I've lived through incredible changes. When I was born, the Civil War had been over only eleven years. Lincoln had been dead just eleven years. Now we've got automobiles everywhere, airplanes flying overhead, radio bringing voices from across the country right into your parlor. I talk on the telephone—something that didn't exist when I was a boy.

I've seen electric lights replace oil lamps. Indoor plumbing replace outhouses and hand pumps. Paved roads replace dirt tracks. The whole world has been transformed in my lifetime.

And now there's another war starting in Europe. I see the newsreels at the picture show, hear the reports on the radio. Hitler and the Nazis, France falling, Britain standing alone. I pray we don't get drawn into it, but I fear we will. Your uncle Frederick might have to serve. Edward just got married—I pray this war doesn't take him away from his new bride.

What I Want You to Remember

[Fred pauses to relight his pipe]

I'm slowing down now. The doctor says I've got some troubles—well, no need to go into that with you young ones. But at sixty-three, I know I've got more years behind me than ahead of me.

So here's what I want you to remember about your old grandfather:

I wasn't perfect. Far from it. I made mistakes—plenty of them. I wasn't good with money. I was too soft-hearted. I should have saved more, planned better, been tougher when times called for toughness.

But I worked hard every day of my life. From the time I was a boy until I retired last year, I earned my keep. I provided for my family as best I could. I treated people decently—the men who worked under me, the friends who needed help, the neighbors who needed a hand.

I married the best woman in the world, and we've made a good life together for forty years now. We've had joy and sorrow, prosperity and hardship, but we've had it together.

I've lived through the transformation of Leominster from a small industrial town to a modern city. I've seen America change from a country of farms and small towns to a modern nation with skyscrapers and automobiles and all the wonders of the age.

Most importantly, I've seen my children grow into fine adults. Marion, Evelyn, Ruth, Frederick, Edward, and Geraldine—each one of them making their own way in the world. That's what matters. That's what lasts.

This country's been good to me, even with the hard times. I came from nothing—a comb painter's son—and I made superintendent of factories. I owned my own home, even if I lost it later. I've never gone hungry, never been without work when I was able to do it.

A Final Thought

Your grandmother and I have been talking lately about getting our affairs in order. We've got a plot at Evergreen Cemetery -- I mentioned it before -- where little Stanley waits for us. When my time comes, I'll be ready. I've lived a good life, longer than many. I've done my work, raised my family, done right by people as best I could.

But that's morbid talk for a day like this. Yesterday we celebrated Edward's wedding. Young love, new beginnings. That's what life is about -- each generation building on what the one before accomplished, doing a little better if they can.

So you children remember your old grandfather, will you? Not as some perfect hero -- I certainly wasn't that. But as a man who did his best, who loved his family, who worked hard and treated people fairly. That's not a bad legacy to leave behind.

Now, who wants to take a walk down to the corner store with me? I've got a few pennies for candy, and your grandmother says I'm getting underfoot hanging around here reminiscing all day.

---

Note: Frederick Walton Seaver died eighteen months after this memoir was recorded, on March 13, 1942, at Lawrence General Hospital, of prostate cancer. He was sixty-five years old. His funeral was held at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, and he was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Leominster, Massachusetts, beside his son Stanley and, eventually, his wife Alma Bessie and daughter Geraldine.

2) Here is the Audio Overview "podcast" file for Frederick Walton Seaver's memoir from Google NotebookLM (based on the referenced genealogical sketch).

The Google NotebookLM Video discussing Frederick Walton Seaver's memories is below: 

4)  I think that these relatively short memoirs are poignant and will be interesting to his descendants, and especially to me.

This format provides a different perspective than a biography, doesn't it?  It is historical fiction,  but many of the historical facts from the genealogical sketch are included and it rings true to me.  

I will write more of these AI-assisted memoirs or life memories as told by my ancestors as time goes on.  This is great genealogy fun for me!

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Links to my blog posts about using Artificial Intelligence are on my Randy's AI and Genealogy page.  Links to AI information and articles about Artificial Intelligence in Genealogy by other genealogists are on my AI and Genealogy Compendium page.

Copyright (c) 2025, Randall J. Seaver

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